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Pairing and Modes

Last updated August 9, 2026

Overview

Before a Tappya POS install can do anything, it has to be paired to your tenant. Pairing is a once-per-device action that:

  • Links the physical device to a specific branch in your account.
  • Records its mode (Main Cashier / Secondary POS / Waiter).
  • Issues the device long-lived credentials so it can sign in by itself in the future.

This article is about the merchant-side experience: what you see in the dashboard, what the staff member at the device sees, and what to do when it goes wrong.

When to pair

You pair whenever you:

  • Install Tappya POS on a new tablet or computer.
  • Factory-reset an existing device (the previous pairing is wiped).
  • Replace a broken device with a new one.

The pairing flow

Step 1. Install and launch the POS app

On the device, install Tappya POS from the app store (Android / iOS) or from your provisioned link (Windows / macOS), and open it. The app boots to a Device Activation screen showing:

  • A QR code.
  • A 6-digit activation code in XXX-XXX format.

The device waits on this screen until you approve it from the dashboard.

Step 2. Open the dashboard pairing flow

In the Tappya dashboard, go to Settings → Devices → POS Devices, then click Activate New Device (or Pair Device).

You have two ways to identify the device:

  • Scan the QR code from the device screen using your phone. This opens the matching dashboard form pre-filled.
  • Enter the 6-digit code manually in the dashboard form.

Step 3. Pick the branch and the mode

In the form, choose:

  • Branch: which physical location the device belongs to. Devices cannot roam between branches.
  • Mode: Main Cashier, Secondary POS, or Waiter. See the POS Overview article for what each mode does.
  • Device name: a label to recognise it by ("Front Till", "Bar Register", "Waiter 03").

Click Activate.

Step 4. The device picks up the approval

Within a couple of seconds the device sees the approval, fetches its credentials, and proceeds to the sign-in screen for whichever staff member will use it. Pairing is complete.

Subscription rules

  • Your subscription plan caps how many devices of each mode you can pair.
  • Main Cashier seats are usually 1 per branch.
  • Secondary POS and Waiter seats are counted separately and tracked per branch.
  • Pairing will be rejected with a clear error if you are already at the cap. Upgrade your plan or unpair an existing device first.

Unpairing a device

From Settings → Devices → POS Devices, click on the device row, then Deactivate. This:

  • Revokes the device's credentials immediately.
  • Frees up a seat in your subscription.
  • Leaves all order history intact (orders are owned by the branch, not the device).

The device itself will land back on the Device Activation screen the next time someone opens the app.

Switching modes on an existing device

You cannot switch a paired device from one mode to another from inside the app. This is deliberate: it means subscription quotas cannot be evaded by toggling.

To switch a device's mode:

  1. From Settings → Devices, deactivate the device.
  2. On the device, factory-reset the POS app (Settings → System → Maintenance → Reset Device, or reinstall the app).
  3. Pair the device again, this time choosing the new mode.

If a Secondary or Waiter terminal needs to move to a different Main Cashier (for example you replaced the Main till), use the Re-pair to a different Main POS flow in the POS app under Settings → LAN Pairing. This keeps the same role but rebinds it to a new host.

How devices find each other on the LAN

Secondary POS and Waiter terminals discover their Main Cashier automatically:

  • The Main Cashier broadcasts its presence on UDP port 5354.
  • Other terminals on the same Wi-Fi network listen for that broadcast.
  • The first time a LAN client pairs, it picks the discovered Main from a list and the dashboard records a pendingPeers entry that the Main Cashier approves.

You do not enter an IP address. All terminals must be on the same Wi-Fi network / VLAN for discovery to work.

Common pairing failures

Related articles

  • POS Overview
  • Daily Use
  • Offline and Troubleshooting

Key concepts

  • Activation code: the 6-digit XXX-XXX code shown on the device. Single-use, and it expires after a short window.
  • pendingPeers: a short-lived record the dashboard writes to gate which LAN clients the Main Cashier is allowed to accept. Cleaned up automatically once pairing completes.
  • UDP discovery (port 5354): how LAN clients find their Main Cashier. Requires the same Wi-Fi subnet.
  • Factory reset: wipes pairing on the device. Necessary to change mode or re-onboard.